Archive for August, 2010

We will be featuring bikes that are build at Tionghin from now and having a bike checks on the complete set up!

New Build on a Santa Cruz Bullit! The complete build!

Running Stans tubeless on a Continental Rubber Queen 2.4 non-UST.

The Charger Expert is designed as an all mountain wheelset, relying on a Sun Ringle designed rim with Stan’s tubeless technology, laced with Wheelsmith spokes to SunRingle hubs. The Charger Expert wheelset weighed in at 1820g (820g front, 1000g rear), which is pretty much bang on Sun Ringle’s claim. The 28mm wide rims are available in white or black and give 2.35″ tires a nice profile when mounted, while the twenty-four spoke design shaves a little weight over conventional 32 spoke designs. The rear hub (135mm) spins on four sealed bearings and employs three pawls on a thirty tooth ratchet, netting the rider an engagement of twelve degrees. The front hub is available either as a 9mm quick release or in a 15mm / 20mm version for thru-axle forks.

Two more new models of Titus frame arrive at our store today! Look what we have from them on the NEW FTM and X…

The core of any great company is a great culture. The culture at Titus is based on bringing like-minded people together that share a passion for cycling with one goal – lighter, faster, stronger – better.

Titus X
Constructed from mechanically-formed and butted 6069 aluminum front triangle, asymmetrical hydro-formed chainstays, one piece carbon fiber seatstays, forged and machined dropouts, and a one-piece compression molded carbon fiber X-Link. To create a solid and reliable connection between the front and rear triangles four oversized sealed bearings were used at the main pivot. The Horst-link clevis on the chainstays were overbuilt intentionally, all to ensure the perfect ride. At 105mm of rear wheel travel the Titus X is ready for the trail.

Made in the USA!

Mandrel-shaped top tube and down tube with optimized butting profiles.

Titus X Carbon
Titus X Carbon Frame redefines fast! Not only is the X Carbon light but it is ultra fast and ultra efficient. This is every XC riders dream machine. The medium frame with hardware weights under 5lbs, including shock.

Full carbon fiber construction! Hydro-formed top tube and down tube with optimized butting profiles.

The all-new seat stay features a full carbon dropout, carbon yoke and new s-bend shaping for enhanced heel clearance.

Shimano takes a new approach to their XTR drivetrain in 2011 – two different top tier groups that are focused on either all out racing or high performance trail riding. I got to put some early miles on the new XTR Trail group while riding in Downieville, California, and inside you can read my impressions on how it performed. You’ll also find some great technical information on the new super group, including the impressive directional chain!

The 2011 XTR Trail crankset uses what Shimano calls CloseStep gearing – 42, 32, and a 24 tooth small ring. When teamed up with the new 11-36 XTR cassette it provides an easier low range (56.6″ vs. 58.3″ of rollout for a standard setup) and is claimed to result in both less shifting and less chain tension that causes friction. But the question is, is it noticeable in real world conditions and does it benefit the user?

Shimano’s 2011 XTR crankset is part of their Dyna-Sys drivetrain system that also includes a 10 speed 11-36 cassette. The new cranks use what Shimano calls CloseStep gearing that consists of a 42, 32 and slightly larger than average 24 tooth chainrings. Don’t panic if you live in the midst of steep terrain or are a larger rider, the 24 tooth ring combined with a 36 tooth cog actually produces an easier gear than the current 22 x 32 combo (56.6″ vs. 58.3″ of rollout for a stanadard setup). The larger granny ring should also work better with a lot of suspension designs as it is closer in size the the middle ring that most bikes are designed around. In usual Shimano style, front shifting has been massaged to exceed expectations via many shift assists on the rings themselves. The Trail crank shown above comes in triple configuration, but a double version will also be available in 40/28 and a racer and hammer head friendly 42/30.

I fondly remember my early days of mountain biking and of all the cool parts that got my teenage heart pumping, Shimano’s XTR cassette was the one bit that nearly put me into fibrillation. It still has the same effect today! The three piece aluminum spidered block uses titanium for the five largest cogs. It is available in both 11-36 and 11-34 spreads.

The key to the Dyna-Sys setup is Shimano’s new 11-36 spread cassette that offers a wide gear range for the average trail rider, but also operates with the composite 32 tooth ring so the rider has to shift less than before. Shimano says that if you use or have used a triple ring crankset you’ll be familiar with having to make multiple shifts in the rear every time you drop down to the smallest chainring, otherwise you quickly loose all momentum on the trail. Having been doing my fair share of climbing lately, I’d have to say that when I’ve dropped down to the granny ring I have been forced to drop multiple gears on the cassette as to not quickly come to a standstill – one just doesn’t think about it when riding. By using a 24 tooth small ring and revised cassette gearing Shimano claims that a rider will now have to perform only a single recovery shift as opposed to having to do two or three on another system. The 36 tooth large cog, the five largest are titanium by the way, means that riders can stay in the middle ring much longer and shift the front derailleur even less.

Shimano also says that the Dyna-Sys design reduces chain tension as well, which greatly reduces drivetrain frictions. I was told there is 30% less drivetrain tension when using Shimano’s 32 tooth ring and 36 tooth combo when compared to a standard drivetrain and in the 22 tooth ring and 26 tooth cog. 30% certainly sounds like a lot and I’m interested to discover if there really is a noticeable difference under load during the longterm test that you can read about down the road.

2011 XTR Trail cassette details
Entirely new cassette for 2011
Wide range 11-36 tooth spread
Five largest cogs are titanium
Three piece aluminum spider design
Standard 11-34 is also available

Geek out alert! These two pieces of gigantic mock chain clearly show the differences between the high end road and mountain chains. The HG-X 10 speed mountain bike chain is designed to work only with mountain bike chainrings and cogs, don’t try and put it on your road bike, and vice versa. The directional chain uses different inner and out links, each side designed to interact with either the rings or cogs.

While the new crankset and cassette are no doubt going to get all the attention, the key to Shimano’s drivetrain may well be it’s new HG-X super narrow chain. The mountain bike specific chain uses differently shaped plates than its tarmac brother that interact much better with Shimano’s mountain bike rings. Unlike many other chains, the HG-X doesn’t feature any plate cutouts that would shave a few grams because Shimano feels that it increases the chance of twisted plates. An important feature of the chain, and one that many mechanics may not realize, is that the HG-X is actually directional – there is an inside and an outside to it! Each of the four plates in a single link of chain (left and right, inner and outer) have different chamfers to their edges that are designed to mate perfectly with the shift points found on the chainrings and cassette. The right side/outer plates are shaped to work best when sifting over the chainrings, while the left side/inner plates mate better with the cassette’s tooth profile. There are some very smart people at Shimano that look at the smallest details! For those wondering which side faces out and which side faces in, the logo, whether it is XTR or Dura Ace, faces out.

The new 10 speed XTR derailleur uses revised A-arm geometry that results in less cable tension being required for a lighter feel and less sensitivity, as well as reducing the chance of skipping as you pedal over rough terrain. The outer cage is carbon, the inner is aluminum.

The 2011 XTR rear derailleur still uses Shimano’s low profile Shadow design, but receives refinements that alter both shift effort and reliability, as well as addressing the issue of skipping while under load when pedalling over rough terrain. Previous models had a very obviously different level of effort needed at the shift lever depending on which cog you were shifting to, but Shimano has changed the geometry of the A-arm (the piece that holds the housing stop) to lower the cable tension, and in turn make for a more reliable system that requires nearly the same shift effort no matter what cog you are shifting to. The cage consists of a carbon outer plate that saves a few grams, and an aluminum inner plate to keep everything stiff and reliable.

A functioning XTR derailleur prototype that was used to test A-arm geometry. This was one well used unit.

2011 XTR Trail derailleur details
Entirely new derailleur for 2011
Revised A-arm geometry for lighter and more linear action
A-arm geo also greatly reduces skipping when pedalling hard over rough terrain
Carbon outer plate, alloy inner plate
Shimano Shadow design
The XTR shifters allow you to adjust the pod laterally for better ergonomics and you can also use Shimano’s i-spec bracket to mount it the same perch as the lever. A mode converter allows both 2 and 3 ring use without have to set up your limit screws as a hard stop.

The guts. Smart people build these things! This display shifter shows just how each small piece interacts with its neighbor to pull and release just the right amount of cable.

Riding Impressions
While Shimano’s XTR family was at one point the only game in town when it came to a complete top tier group, this has changed over the years as the competitors have made inroads when in comes to no compromise performance. This must have given Shimano fuel for the fire as for 2011 they have released two different XTR groups, one geared for the racer and the other for the trail rider who wants the same level of performance, but in a more user friendly package. I was able to put in some time on this new XTR Trail group while riding some Downieville’s fast and demanding trails and came away impressed with what Shimano has been able to do.

The shifters have a slightly different feel to them for 2011, with a lighter touch and stronger detents that results in a more tactile sensation while out on the trail. There is no doubt that there is action happening below each and every time that you grab a gear in either direction. Shimano’s Multi and Instant release features, along with 2-Way Release, are still present on the shifters, and I am especially fond of being able to drop or pick up gears from more than one finger position. Although it may not sound useful, it made itself very handy out on the trail and in real world conditions. My Remedy was equipped with Shimano’s triple ring XTR crankset that uses their CloseStep gearing. Shimano says that the CloseStep 42,32, and slightly larger 24 tooth small ring work with their 10 speed cassette (available in both 11-36 and 11-32) to provide a system that requires less shifting, especially recovery shifts, than a standard three ring and common 9 speed cassette. While I’ll need to put more time in on the groupset on more familiar terrain to verify that claim, what was quickly apparent was Shimano’s near instantaneous front shifting. Shifting up to a larger ring seemed to happen as quickly as I could work my fingers over the left shifter paddle, it was even an improvement on Shimano’s already well known impressive front shifting. Rear shifting was also superb throughout the ride, with the chain moving over the cassette with no issues and feeling remarkably quick. No tension adjustment was needed at any point during the ride despite the addition of an extra cog and the resulting tighter spacing. Holding the new drivetrain parts in your hand for a closer inspection reveals an incredible amount of engineering work to each and every piece, but the new directional chain really takes the cake when talking about minuscule details. The new XTR drivetrain’s performance is due to the sum of its parts, but I’d love to discover just how much the chain, with its four uniquely shaped plates per link, add to the overall shift quality of the group.

The last few years have seen immense improvements made to mountain bike drivetrains. Not only can riders expect more gears out back, wider ranges, and more chainring combination options, but also much more reliable shifting compared to what was offered only a few short years ago. Despite the common cry that a 10 speed system on a mountain bike is surely asking for trouble, this has yet to be the case in my experience, although the new XTR group hasn’t been put through a proper British Columbia rainy season beatdown under me. I’ll be putting more time on the new XTR Trail group throughout the remaining summer months and into the rainy fall season – stay tuned for a complete long term review down the road.

Excited about what Shimano has coming down the line? Looking forward to having a go on the new drivetrain? Available soon later at Tionghin once Shimano releases it on the market, will keep everyone updated in our blog!

The FIT design separates the damping oil from air and, according to Fox, virtually eliminates cavitation in rough terrain. Some testers reported better handling on long stepped or rocky descents, but it’s difficult to tell with just 100mm of travel on tap here – it’s likely more obvious an effect with longer-travel bikes.

The real benefit of FIT in this application is the 71g of weight it saves courtesy of the reduced oil volume. That, plus a few minor chassis tweaks, now makes the 32 F100 RLC FIT one of the lightest Fox forks we’ve tested at just 1.49kg (3.27lb) with an uncut 1 1/8in alloy steerer – virtually the same as a current non-remote RockShox SID Team.

Though there’s less weight than before, everything else we raved about on the old F100 RLC (which remains in the lineup) remains or is even improved upon. Damper and spring rates are spot-on, making for a supple ride over stutter bumps plus excellent control on bigger hits and drops, and an overall light and lively feel in the rough.

Provided you invest the time to dial in the various settings, front wheel traction is superb and brake dive is well controlled, too. No problems getting full travel where appropriate, either.

Chassis stiffness is impressively high thanks to the 32mm-diameter aluminium upper tubes and beefy cast magnesium lower legs with their broad-shouldered arch. Our test fork does one better with the addition of a 15mm through-axle, which has a positive effect on steering precision in fast, technical terrain when compared to a typical hub’s 9mm quick-release skewer.

Instead of occasionally pinballing your way through rock gardens and off-axis roots, it’s now more a matter of point-and-shoot (with a little bit of ‘hold on tight’) and the overall sense of control is heightened as well. The through-axle is no panacea, mind you, but it does let you charge through certain sections with that little bit of extra speed and control. If you want even more stiffness (and if your frame allows), Fox also offer the F100 with a tapered 1 1/8in-to-1 1/2in steerer.

Whether or not 15QR is justified in light of the industry-standard 20mm system is still a hotly debated topic though. At 94g, the smaller-diameter Fox axle is comparable in weight to RockShox’s 86g Maxle Lite and until more companies develop dedicated 15mm wheels and hubs (most are conversions on existing 20mm shells), any significant weight savings owing to 15QR’s narrower hub spacing and bearing sizes are still more a matter of potential than reality. Even so, 15QR is an absolute no-brainer as an alternative to standard quick-releases: it’s far stouter, much safer and more intuitive to use for novices.

Alas, all was not perfect with our test fork, as our initial rides were marked by numb hands and an overly harsh feel – tell-tale signs of excess stiction. As it turns out, our oil bath fill levels fell well short of Fox’s recommended 20cc per side (about 15cc in one and barely 5cc in the other). The fix was quick to perform (no more than 10 minutes) but it’s one consumers shouldn’t have to do with a new fork.

Experiences with other forks since this review was first published suggest stiction in the FIT cartridge is far from an isolated incident. The severity of the stickiness varies from fork to fork, although most get better the more you use them. Lack of bob will actually be seen as an advantage by a lot of the racers and fast riders who’ll use the F100 however, so it’s less of an issue than on longer forks.

Otherwise, the magic continues as usual and this is hands-down one of the best cross-country forks on the market – but you might want to keep a bottle of fork oil on hand just in case.

Answer is a name that has been under the radar for a little while but they’re back again with an all new product line up. Here are two Answer products that I’m sure will pique your interest: The Fall Line DH Grip ($30 MSRP) and the Rove FR Pedals ($95 MSRP). Grips and pedals are the two main contact points between body and bike and Answer delivers the goods.

The Fall Line DH grip is specifically designed for the FR and DH crowd with a slightly thinner body than most grips you’ll find. This enables the rider to keep a firm grip while still allowing rapid hand position changes when the need arises. I found the grip felt a bit tacky which actually let me to slacken my grip a bit – no white knuckling, yet I still felt secure. Speaking of security, these lock on grips feature the familiar locking ring format that’s tried and true so there’s little chance they’ll come loose during the ride.

Installing the grips took just a heartbeat with only one allen key necessary. Just make sure you install the grips with the ANSWER logo facing forward. As a side benefit I found the logo added bit of extra grip due to the raised print. If you’re using a carbon bar, be sure to torque the grips down with a wrench slowly, checking often to make sure the grip does not rotate. There is such a thing as too tight, especially when you’re dealing with carbon bars.

The Rove FR pedals felt great underfoot on the trails. With 10 pins and a wide, concave, low profile (16mm) platform, these pedals felt solid when the going got rough. Unlike some other pedals I’ve used, the pins on the Roves didn’t look like they would make mince meat of my legs if a foot slipped off. Still, the slightly lower profile aluminum pins offered good grip on my shoes.

Another cool thing about the hex pins is that you can change them with a socket wrench rather than an allen key. On most pedals the pins are nothing more than long allen screws that are inserted into the pedal which allows the screws to back out easily on the trail. The Rove FR pedal pins have a positive “lock” onto the pedal to avoid this situation.

The 6061 aluminum body can take more abuse compared to other magnesium bodies and won’t show damage as easily. The combination of a cartridge bearing and DU bushing promise to keep these pedals spinning smoothly for a long time.

Source: Team Lex / Pivot Racing
We’re proud to announce the start of a new World Cup race team “Team Lex/Pivot Racing”, featuring three top level riders; Kyle Strait (USA), Will Rischbieth (AUS) and Mitch Delfs (AUS). All three riders are unique in their own way with strong racing backgrounds and a big future ahead of them. For the 2010 season they’ll be attending all 6 rounds of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, the Sea Otter Classic, Kokanee Crankworx and other selected events.

Kyle Strait –
“I’m really looking forward to racing for this new team with sponsors and team mates I really respect. Having the support to race around the world in World Cup events plus other key events here in the US, which is very important to me. I want to be able to build on the top 15 results I got last year, and I know with Pivot and our other co-sponsors, I have a great chance to do that.”

Mitch Delfs –
“Team Lex/Pivot Racing is the new team on the scene, and with our very strong list of sponsors backing us in 2010, I’m sure myself and my team mates, Will and Kyle, can secure prominent results in the most exciting season to date. Having “Buzz” working on our Pivot racing machines with his expertise, they’ll be sure to see us all the way down the hill and onto the podium.”

Will Rischbieth –
“I am so happy to be given this opportunity to be riding for Pivot Cycles! Pivot are super enthusiastic and confident about the development of their whole range of bikes. The downhill bike will be no exception. I am stoked to have Mitch and Kyle as team mates. Both riders are talented and I will learn a lot from both of them. Having a meticulous mechanic like, Simon ‘Buzza’ this year will be just one of many new things to look forward to. Our bikes will also be decked out with the best gear on the circuit. There will be no excuse not to perform well at races. I’m excited!”

LifeStyle Excessive is excited to be a part of this racing program and follow us during all of our races and events throughout the 2010 season. Ben Pankhurst of LifeStyle Excessive has been following some of our riders for the last few seasons and fully appreciates the effort and motivation that takes these athletes to compete and succeed.

LEX ‘Lifestyle Excessive’ is a new youth brand who have created their own clothing line and produced some amazing photography work. LEX is owned by an advertising agency, Charles Cannon, based in Switzerland.

Pivot Cycles will be the team’s frame sponsor and they have big plans for the team with the development of their new downhill bike. We are very excited to be working with such a progressive company that is passionate about making bikes that the general public will love. The riders are very confident about the bikes already, and they know that Pivot Cycles will work very hard to make them feel their best when in the start gate of every race.

Chris Cocalis (Pivot Cycles) –
“We are truly excited at the opportunity to be the frame sponsor for Team Lex/Pivot Racing. This is an amazing opportunity for Pivot to showcase our latest designs on the world’s most challenging race courses while providing the tools that Kyle, Mitch and Will require to take their racing to the next level.

World Cup Downhill Racing is a great place to showcase the innovative dw-link technology and Pivot’s design and manufacturing expertise. The team will truly have a technological advantage with a very light bike that soaks up massive hits, is fully active and pedals like nothing else on the World Cup circuit”

Tyler Maine (Pinkbike.com) –
“We are excited to work with Mathieu and his team this season as they bring their new DH team into the spotlight. Kyle and Mitch are both young and their skill sets continues to grow. Will is full of talent and will feed off his team mates and you can expect to see the whole team on podiums this year.”

The new bikes will be equipped with all the material that Kyle, Mitch and Will demanded for by name, and we really appreciate their support. The team’s co-sponsors signed to outfit our bikes and riders will be SRAM, RockShox, Avid, Truvativ, Mavic, Crank Brothers, SDG, FUNN, e*thirteen, Sensus RaceLite, and ODI. The Riders will be wearing Troy Lee Designs clothing and Pinkbike.com will be following them all season as they participate in events around the world.

We are very happy to be starting off the season with such good help, The racers are very anxious and confident to get out there and enjoy their work.